BROTHERHOOD ⟶ Harry Potter

Prologue

A nap can save someone's life, as many would jokingly say when they were in need of catching forty winks of sleep. But for Milo Fleamont Potter, his story did not start off heroic, as his life was spared due to the fact that he had decided to fall asleep during the early evening hours of Halloween. Overwhelmed by the sight of a toy broomstick fluttering about, while his younger brother squealed in delight, the older toddler, Milo had worn himself out and fell asleep against his father, slumped into the side of James Potter. His mother thought he looked terribly uncomfortable in his sleeping position and eventually, brought Milo upstairs to his room to sleep on his bed.

The two-year-old was curled up with a teddy bear that had been given to him by one of his "uncles" Remus. Of course, it was a special teddy bear after his other uncle Sirius had placed a leather jacket on the bear. It had once been Milo's but he had outgrown it quickly and rather than enlarging it, Lily just thought it would be best if Milo wore new clothing that consisted of less leather and buckles.

An abrupt crashing sound and screaming startled the boy from his nap, but out of fear, the boy did not cry. He had managed to climb out of his small bed and make his way to the door, he could hear his brother crying and he could hear his mother's pleading tone as he reached for the doorknob. However, his sleepy grip failed him, making it difficult for him to turn. Panic settled in as he just wanted to get to one of his parents, no clue as to what was taking place across the hall.

Suddenly, a bright green light flooded the hall, leaking into his bedroom, causing Milo to cry out and fall back. Then everything was quiet for a split second, not even the slightest of noise taking place.

"M-mum-my?" Milo finally called out. "Dad-Da-Daddy! 'Arry?!"

Why wasn't anyone answering him? Normally, both of his parents were prompt in responding to either his calls or the cries of his brother. He pushed himself up and tried to keep opening the door, especially when he heard his brother finally crying.

"'Arry?! 'Arry?!" Milo cried but his grip was failing him as his little hand continued to slip off the doorknob. 

Milo started to cry himself, his face red and tears staining the chubby cheeks that so many people had pinched over time. He called out to his brother, he called out to his parents, he called out to anyone that he could but no one would come to the boy's aid.

But Milo had always been considered a very determined child, even when he was a baby, often going to great lengths and heights to get what he wanted, even if it did put himself in danger. His first fall that he experienced was under the watch of Sirius, as the man had his back turned, Milo was in his high chair and spotted something on the kitchen counter that he wanted. A sweet that his mother had not permitted him to have earlier. The boy pushed himself with all his might to stand in the high chair and reach for the sweet, causing the chair to fall over, along with him. Sirius had promised the boy the world if he didn't say anything.

Collecting a pillow from his bed, Milo placed it down in front of the door, to give him some leverage to finally get a good grip on the doorknob. He squeezed his little fingers around it and went to open it when he heard the sound of someone crying.

"Daddy?" Milo managed to open the door and peer across the hall. His brother was crying on the floor, close to where their mother was lying. But her upper half was propped up, being held in the arms of a man that Milo had never seen before. He had long black hair, a large nose, and pale skin. He was dressed in dark robes, holding onto Milo's mother as he cried. Lily was completely still in the man's arms, not reaching out to Harry despite the fact that the boy was crying. 

"Mummy?"

At the sound of the child's voice, the man looked across the way, spotting Milo, who was staring directly at him. Almost instantly, he looked frightened as if Milo was a scary monster of some sort. He moved Lily's body away from him, looking down at her one last time before sweeping his robes behind him and leaving with a dramatic exit. The two boys were left alone, leaving Milo to make his way into the other bedroom.